Method of treating fibrous material with sulphur



Nov. 1, 1932. F. v. D. CRUSER METHOD OF TREATING FIBROUS MATERIAL WITH SULPHUR Filed Dec. 19, 1929 SULPHUR DIPPINC: BHSKET Patented Nov. 1, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FREDERICK V. D. CRUSER, OF OSWEGO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE DIAMOND MATCH COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF MARYLAND METHOD TREATING FIBROUS MATERIAL WITH SULPHUR Application filed December 19,1929. Serial No. 415,201.

This invention relates to a method of treating with sulphur, products of homogeneous fibrous material in order to render them relatively hard and water-resistant, having reference especially, though not exclusively, to the treatment with sulphur of the relatively thin paperboard members of commercial match boxes.

An object of the invention is to efl'ect the treatment of products of homogeneous fibrous material, such as paper or paperboard, with sulphur in a simple and eflicient manner whereby the outer surfaces of the products are free from congealed sulphur scale or film and are in prime condition to be printed, labeled or painted, as desired.

Another object of my invention is to efiect the treatment of hollow or skeleton articles of homogeneous 'fibrous material, such as match-box covers or trays, with molten sulphur, and subsequently subject the material to the action of heat at a temperature sufficient to effect the absorption of the sulphur by and into the body of the material, the procedure being such that the articles can be rapidly and expeditiously treated in large quantities with a minimum amount of hand labor, thus insuring economy of production.

A further object of my invention is to produce an article of homogeneous fibrous material whereof the body is impregnated with congealed sulphur and theexposed surfaces are free from sulphur scale or film.

In carrying out my invention with respect to the sulphur treatment of articles of homogeneous fibrous material, such, for example, as paperboard match box covers and trays, I immerse a batch of the articles in a bath of molten sulphur, at a temperature of about 290 to 305 F., for a suflicient period of time to obtain proper impregnation. The material must not be thoroughly saturated with the molten sulphur, but should be in such condition upon its removal from the bath R that the sulphur shall be absorbed by and into the body of the material by the action of heat thereon. The period of immersion in the bath is variable depending upon the nature or quality-of the material of which the article is composed, since different kinds and and out of contact, the sulphur will melt and thicknesses of material, paperboard, for example, require difierent periods of immersion. For ordinary porous paperboard, such as is used for match box covers and trays, I have found that an immersion period of about thirty seconds is sufiicient.

Although the immersion may be efiected in various ways, I prefer to employ for this purpose a reticulated receptacle within which the articles to be treated are promiscuously contained, which receptacle, with its contents, is adapted to be submerged in the bath of molten sulphur for the requisite period. When the receptacle is removed from the bath its sulphur impregnated contents are continuously tumbled about in the presence of a temperature of about 290 F. for a period of about five minutes. The action of the heat removes the excess sulphur remaining on the surfaces of the articles, causing such excess to penetrate the material sufiiciently to leave the outside surfaces in their original condition, free from sul hur scale or film, thus permitting the eflicient labeling, painting or printing ofthe surfaces of the sulphur impregnated article.

The topsy-turvy tumbling in the presence of heat of box covers or similar articles is essential to effect the separation of the adhering articles and to ensure their desired uniform impregnation, as I have found that if the sulphured articles be undisturbed while they are subjected to the action of the heat, even though they be in an upright position run down to the bottom edges of the articles and also appear on the surfaces.

In the drawing, I have shown simple and eficient means for use in carrying out the described process with respect more especially to the treatment of match-box covers, such means being'illustrative and not limitative.

Referring to the drawing- Figure 1 is a plan of an associated melting tank and tumbling oven.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the tank and oven.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section, enlarged, 10c

1 articles can be conveniently immersed in and removed from molten sulphur contained in a suitable tank B. This tank is equipped with bottom steam coils 8 in communication with a supply pipe 9 from a suitable steam system.

An oven C, which is arranged adjacent the tank 13, embodies a relatively long trough 10 which is sustained in an inclined position by spaced recessed supports 11 on the uprights of a substantial framework 12. These supports are vertically adjustable so that the inclination of the trough can be varied, as desired. A drum 13, which is fixedly supported in and longitudinally of the trough, in spaced relation to the bottom and sides of the latter, affords a cylindrical heating chamber of substantial length. This drum is equipped with bottom steam coils 14 which are connected by means of a branch pipe 15 with the steam supply pipe 9; the lower portion of the drum 13 being suitably insulated from the walls of the trough by means, for example, of magnesium felt 16. The steam coils 14 of the drum, as well as the coils 8 of the tank, have suitable pipe connections with a return or discharge pipe 90. The drum is provided with a suitable plug hole 17 whereby thermometric observation of the internal temperature can be had.

A cylinder D of wire mesh or the like, having on its inner periphery, longitudinally disposed tumbler bars 18, is provided at its ends, and also at its midsection, with circumferential bearing rings 19 which are rotatably seated on spaced pairs of flanged rollers 20 mounted on supports 21 within the drum 13. The cylinder is also provided between its ends with a gear ring 22 in mesh with a pinion 23 on a suitably disposed powerdriven shaft 24 which extends through and beyond the lower end of the cylinder. 1 Hence during the rotation of the shaft 24 the cylinder is rotated at a predetermined speed.

The drum 13 is provided at its upper end with an inlet 25 from which an inclined chute 26 depends into the adjacent open end of the cylinder D. Thus the sulphured articles when they are dumped from the basket A into the chute are directed into the upper end of the cylinder, which cylinder in its slow rotation continuously tumbles the contained articles and feeds them progressively to the lower end of the cylinder in the proper period of time to effect the improved impregnating result hereinbefore described. This done, the impregnated articles are delivered at the lower end of the cylinder to the adj acent portion of the drum, which latter is provided with a suitable discharge outlet 27 for the articles.

I claim- 1. A method of treating fibrous material, comprising partially saturating the material with molten sulphur, and subsequently tumbling and subjecting the material to the action of heat at a temperature sufiicient to effect the absorption of the sulphur by and into the body of the material, thus leaving the exposed surfaces of the material free from sulphur film or scale.

2. A method of treating an article composed of a fibrous material containing sulphur, comprising tumbling the article in the presence of heat until the sulphur has been absorbed into the body of the material.

3. The method of treating articles comosed of fibrous material, comprising immersing the articles en masse in a bath of molten sulphur, removing them from the bath, and tumblin them in the resence of heat until the sulphur has been a sorbed into the body of the material of the respective articles.

4. A method of treating articles composed of fibrous material, comprising immersing a batch of promiscuously contained articles in a bath of molten sulphur, then removing the associated articles from the bath and subjecting them to a tumbling operation in the presence of heat until the sulphur has-been absorbed into the body of the material of the respective articles.

5. A method of treating articles composed of fibrous material, comprising accumulating the articles promiscuously in a perforated receptacle, immersing said receptacle with its contents in a bath of molten sulphur, removing the loaded receptacle from the bath, introducing the articles in a rotating tumbler under the influence of heat, and maintainin them therein under a itation until the su phur has been absorbed 1nto the body of the material of the respective articles.

6. A method of treating articles composed of paperboard, comprising immersing the articles in a bath of molten sulphur at a tem= perature of about 290 to 305 F., removing said articles from the bath, and tumbling them in the presence of a temperature of about 290 F. until the sulphur has been absorbed into the body of the material of the resmctive articles.

i ed at Oswego in the county of Oswego and tate of New ork this 17th day of December'A. D. 1929.

FREDERICK V. GRUSER. 

